DayOneToday
Today, around the world
Saturday, December 17. What the world marks, and the firsts that happened on this day.
Today, somewhere · from DayOneToday
What the world marks
BhutanNational Day
United StatesPan American Aviation DayDecember observance
Wright Brothers Day, a United States federal observance by Presidential proclamationUnited States national observation
On this day · from DayOneToday
Firsts, not anniversaries
2003SpaceShipOne, piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight.30 years ago
1989Fernando Collor de Mello defeats Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round of the Brazilian presidential election, becoming the first democratically elected President in almost 30 years.44 years ago
1957The United States successfully launches the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida.76 years ago
1950The F-86 Sabre's first mission over Korea.83 years ago
1947First flight of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic bomber.86 years ago
1945Kurdistan flag day, the flag of Kurdistan is raised for the first time in Mahabad in eastern Kurdistan.88 years ago
1933The first NFL Championship Game is played at Wrigley Field in Chicago between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears. The Bears win 23–21.100 years ago
1907Ugyen Wangchuck is crowned first King of Bhutan.126 years ago
1903The Wright brothers make the first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.130 years ago
1896Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Schenley Park Casino, which was the first multi-purpose arena with the technology to create an artificial ice surface in North America, is destroyed in a fire.137 years ago
1892First issue of Vogue is published.141 years ago
1865First performance of the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert.168 years ago
1665The first account of a blood transfusion is published, in the form of a letter from physician Richard Lower to chemist Robert Boyle, in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society368 years ago
-497The first Saturnalia festival is celebrated in ancient Rome.
The week ahead, around the world
The same subject is marked on different dates almost everywhere.
Sunday, Dec 18International Migrants Day — United Nations observance, 18 December
Sunday, Dec 18National Day · Qatar — Annual celebration hosted on 18 December
Sunday, Dec 18Republic Day · Niger — National holiday of Niger
Sunday, Dec 18UN Arabic Language Day · United Nations — International event
Monday, Dec 19Goa Liberation Day · Goa, India — Annual observance, 19 December
Monday, Dec 19National Heroes and Heroines Day · Anguilla
Tuesday, Dec 20Abolition of Slavery Day, also known as Fête des Cafres · Réunion, French Guiana — Ethnic group
Tuesday, Dec 20Bo Aung Kyaw Day · Myanmar
Tuesday, Dec 20Earliest date for Winter solstice's eve (Northern Hemisphere), and its related observances: Yaldā (Iran) — Persian festival
Tuesday, Dec 20International Human Solidarity Day · International — United Nations annual unity day
Tuesday, Dec 20Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day · Macau
Wednesday, Dec 21Dongzhi · China · East Asia — The winter solstice festival (December 21 or 22); families eat tangyuan together.
Wednesday, Dec 21Armed Forces Day · Philippines — National holidays honoring military forces
Wednesday, Dec 21Forefathers' Day · Plymouth, Massachusetts — Annual holiday in Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Wednesday, Dec 21São Tomé Day · São Tomé and Príncipe
Thursday, Dec 22Mother's Day (Hari Ibu) · Indonesia
Thursday, Dec 22Dongzhi Festival — Twenty-second solar term of traditional Chinese lunisolar calendars and festival
Thursday, Dec 22Armed Forces Day · Vietnam — National holidays honoring military forces
Thursday, Dec 22Mother's Day · Indonesia — Celebration honouring mothers
Thursday, Dec 22National Mathematics Day · India — Celebration that commemorates the birthday of Srinivasa Ramanujan
Thursday, Dec 22Teachers' Day · Cuba — Day for appreciating teachers
Thursday, Dec 22Unity Day · Zimbabwe
Friday, Dec 23Night of the Radishes · Oaxaca, Mexico — Radishes carved into figures and scenes.
Friday, Dec 23Birthday of the Queen Silvia, an official flag flying day · Sweden
Friday, Dec 23Children's Day · South Sudan and Sudan — Public observance in honor of children
Friday, Dec 23Day of all level operational control structures servicemen · Ukraine — Combined military forces of Ukraine
Friday, Dec 23Festivus, a secular holiday made popular by the sitcom Seinfeld — Secular holiday celebrated December 23
Friday, Dec 23HumanLight · Secular humanism in United States — Humanist holiday
Friday, Dec 23Kisan Diwas · Uttar Pradesh, India — Prime Minister of India from 1979 to 1980
Friday, Dec 23Tibb's Eve · Newfoundland and Labrador — Regional holiday in western Newfoundland
Friday, Dec 23Tom Bawcock's Eve · Mousehole, Cornwall — Annual festival in Mousehole, Cornwall, England
Friday, Dec 23Victory Day · Egypt
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve · Many countries
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italian Americans) — Italian-American Christmas Eve celebration
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Juleaften (Denmark)/Julaften (Norway)/Julafton (Sweden) — Christmas celebrations and traditions in Denmark
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Nittel Nacht (certain Orthodox Jewish denominations) — Yiddish name for Christmas Eve
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Nochebuena (Spain and Spanish-speaking countries) — Evening or day before Christmas Day
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: The Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City) — Finnish tradition
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Wigilia (Poland) — Polish Christmas Eve vigil supper
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Quviasukvik, the Inuit new year (Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia) — Inuit New Year
Saturday, Dec 24Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances: Kūčios (Lithuania) — Traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve meal
Saturday, Dec 24Independence Day · Libya
Saturday, Dec 24Day of Military Honour – Siege of Ismail · Russia — Memorable dates in the Russian Armed Forces